A minuscule 0.3 per cent of male students at Cambridge are black, and in 2015, just 18 places were offered to black male undergraduates and 15 accepted a place to study at the university, according to CUACS.

They said: "[...] It is important that despite their under-representation, we let young black people know that this is something that they can aspire to. 'Young black men don't grow up thinking they'll make it here. They should.' - Dami Adebayo (Robinson College).

"Inspired by the viral image of young black men from Yale, the Cambridge ACS decided to capture just some of the black men who contribute to one of the world's most innovative intellectual spaces. Representation matters."

In a statement, the society added: "For CUACS, the real purpose of the photograph was to remind young black individuals that Cambridge is for us.

Picture by Cambridge University African-Caribbean Society

"In order to encourage more applicants, we recognise that representation and visibility is vital."

People have taken to Twitter in their hundreds to praise the society's actions.

Out of 3,449 students accepted into Cambridge in the 2015/2016 academic year, only 38 defined themselves as black - that's just over 1 per cent. This figure did not include any students who defined themselves on their application as mixed race.

Folajimi Babasola, 20, who is studying engineering and appeared in the photo, said he wanted the image to challenge the "stereotype" of a Cambridge student.

He said: "The aim of the picture was really to encourage more black students to apply here because many people get discouraged by a particular image or stereotype of a Cambridge student that they have in their mind, thinking that they won't fit in or be accepted."

He said he wanted to show others "there are people very much like them here and if we can get here, they can."

William Gore, 19, who studies English, said he felt "really lucky" to be involved in a photo that has gone viral.

Picture by Cambridge University African-Caribbean Society

He said he wanted to send out a message that black students should "apply" to Cambridge, adding: "You don't need to change who you are to get here.

"There are people here at Cambridge from different backgrounds, who don't fit the stereotypical image of what a Cambridge student looks like, doing their thing and killing it."

Dami Adebayo, who studies engineering, said there needed to be more black role models for men to aspire to.

He said growing up he had aspired to be like actors, artists and sportsmen such as Lebron James, Will Smith and Jay-Z because "that's how I perceived success".

He went on: "Barack Obama is probably the first black role model I had who made it 'cool' to be 'book smart', and that was by the time I was 11, that's crazy."

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In March it said it was applying for an REC bronze award, given to universities that have a "solid foundation for eliminating racial inequalities and developing an inclusive culture that values all staff and students".

Professor Eilis Ferran said: "The university is committed to creating an environment where students and staff can realise their potential regardless of their ethnic, racial or national background."

The Cambridge University African-Caribbean Society, which was behind the shoot, said the purpose of the photos was to "remind young black individuals that Cambridge is for us".

It said it hoped to see developments in the representation and inclusion of more black students at the university.